HELENA PIERCE is one of the latest group of frail, elderly people caught up in a political row over the future of Merseyside care homes.

HELENA PIERCE is one of the latest group of frail, elderly people caught up in a political row over the future of Merseyside care homes.

Sandown Lodge in Olive Lane, Wavertree, has been home to Mrs Pierce, 94, since she left hospital a year ago.

Now it is one of three Liverpool homes which have announced their closure in the past 10 days, and her family fear she may not be strong enough to survive the upheaval of moving.

Her niece Pauline Alderton said: "We are all very upset about what is now happening and worried about the effect the move could have on her."

Len Collins, president of Liverpool Care Homes Association, warns that care of the elderly on Merseyside has reached crisis point.

The closure of the 24-bed Sandown Lodge brings the number of beds lost during the past two weeks to more than 100.

It comes hard on the heels of the closures of Cransbie Grange in Mossley Hill, which had 30 beds, and Basil Grange in West Derby (50 beds).

It has left scores of elderly people facing the upset of not knowing where they will be living in the near future.

Mr Collins said: "These three homes were around 80% full. Some people had already moved out because of the current situation but there are still a large number of people who are affected."

He warned that fewer homes also means an increased risk of hospital bed blocking because there is nowhere else for elderly patients to move to.

"There is ample evidence which shows that after elderly people have been moved from a home they can die within weeks.

"We do now have a crisis involving our care homes and it is a desperate situation. By the winter there will be meltdown as more homes close."

Already there are 36 elderly people stuck in hospitals across the city because alternative support outside cannot be found for them.

The owner of Sandown Lodge, Denis Neale, now has to find new homes for 15 elderly residents.

He said: "I think it is a national disgrace. Local councillors, MPs and government ministers should be hanging their heads in shame.

"Liverpool council and social services have been warned time and time again that unless they increase the level of fees, care homes will be forced out of business.

"In the meantime the government is doing nothing to rectify the problem."

Blind and disabled Mabel Broomhall, 100, died five days after moving from Eastfield nursing home in Aigburth in July.

Her daughter June Cassin, 75, believes her mother, who had lived at Eastfield for eight years, would still be alive today if it was not for the trauma of the move.

Liverpool Care Homes Association lost its call for a judicial review into council funding earlier this month.

It has also been announced that St Helens and Knowsley Care Homes Ass?ociation has lost its calls for a judicial review into council funding.

St Helens and Knowsley Care Homes Association has claimed that this now signals the death-knell for even more homes.

Age Concern said it is "extremely concerned" about the loss of 100 beds in Liverpool in such a short period of time.

A spokesman said: "We are worried about the people in these homes.

"There is no question that we do face a crisis in social care and there needs to be more funding from the government and local authorities to ensure old people have choices about the care they receive.

"We need to look at all of the alternative means of care which could be available for older people, whether it be care homes, care for people in their own homes or sheltered housing.

"Where homes are closing, we would hope the older people who are living there are being fully consulted and that the move is made taking all of their needs into account.

"We should not just be focused on care homes, there have got to be other alternatives for old people and these must be looked at."

HEADLINE: The battle to stay in business

CARE home owners across the region have claimed they are not receiving sufficient funding to enable them to continue in business.

They want local councils to increase the rates they pay for residents' care. Councils argue that the government must provide the extra money.

Care home owners claim they are being under-funded by between #50 and #80 per resident, per week.

Some local care home associations have taken their fight for an increase in residential and nursing care fees to the high court in London but these calls have been rejected.

Care home representatives have warned that if authorities do not increase their weekly fees for each resident they would be forced to close.

In SEFTON discussions have been taking place this week between the care home owners and the council over the "true cost" of care fees.

Sefton council has agreed to increase the rates which are paid to homes, backdated to the beginning of the month. The fees will be between #290 and #380 per person, per week, an average increase of #26.

Around half of Sefton's 200 care homes have closed since the the introduction of the Care in the Community Act in 1993.

In WIRRAL almost 1,200 beds have been been lost since March 1993 including at least 90 in the last 16 months. A further 134 beds are at risk in the immediate future.

The local authority agreed a 5% increase - #1.3m - in the levels of fees paid to care homes enforced from October 1.

The only closures in KNOWSLEY this year have been a wing with 30 beds at Hillside Nursing Home in Huyton.

Cllr Ken Keith, cabinet member responsible for health and social services in Knowsley, claims the 4% rise in fees this year was "sufficient". But he conceded that the issue does need to be looked at again.

ST HELENS council has dropped plans to transfer care homes for the elderly into the private sector.